Search Engine Roundtable Podcast

It finally happened: Google released the August 2024 core update; this one should reward small and independent publishers more, should it? Google had another search ranking bug, today, this was a big one. There has been tremendous Google ranking volatility this week, maybe the core update, but it was the day before and the weekend before the official announcement. The Department of Justice may decide to break up Google. Google launched new links in AI Overviews, expanded it to more countries and launched new Search Labs features, oh and Google is showing them in incognito mode. Google Gemini Research shows links as well. Google may be sending some publishers a lot more Discover traffic and a lot less Web Search traffic, a report says. Google Search Console only shows 35% of your data, maybe. Google does not technically follow links. Google may get better at URL parameter handling. Google confirms it shows 10+ shopping ads as you scroll. Google Search lists merchant center tracking parameters, causing a mess for some. Google deactivated Russian AdSense publishers. Google top stories may be showing fewer stories for political figures. Google is testing mini knowledge panel cards. Google knowledge panels have these “connections.” Google Home listings are hidden with fake WhatsApp numbers, and some hotels are closed. Google highlights reviews in the search result listings. The FTC officially banned fake reviews. And Apple Business Connect expanded its showcase feature. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:14 - Google March 2024 Core Update Rolling Out - Will Small Sites Rank Again?

3:52 - Confirmed: Google Search Ranking Bug Impacting Large Number Of Results

4:32 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Combusting Around August 14th & 15th

5:06 - Google Search Ranking Volatility August 9th and 10th (No HCU Progress)

5:21 - DOJ May Break Up Google: Separating Android & Chrome; Maybe Ads

5:59 - Google AI Overview New Links UI, Save, Simpler Mode & More Countries

6:29 - Google AI Overviews In Incognito Mode (Not Signed In)

6:55 - Google Gemini Research: Web Search & Adds Link Citations

7:22 - Report: Google Sending More Discover Traffic But Less Search Traffic To Publishers

8:08 - Google Search Console Only Shows 35% Of Your Data? It Depends, Says Google.

8:47 - Google Doesn't Technically Follow Links, It Extracts, Collects & Checks Later

9:16 - Google Search To Get Better At URL Parameter Handling?

9:39 - Google Confirms Tests Over 10 Shopping Ads In Mobile Search Interface

10:06 - Google Search Listing srsltid URL Parameters From Merchant Center

10:33 - Google Deactivates Russia-Based AdSense Accounts, Final Payouts To Follow

10:55 - Google Top Stories Showing Fewer Top Stories For Political Figures?

11:19 - Google Search Tests Mini Knowledge Panel Cards

11:27 - Google Connections For Knowledge Panels

11:45 - Google Hotel Listings Under Siege: Fake WhatsApp Numbers & Marking As Closed

12:16 - Google Highlighting Review Content In Search Result Snippets

12:29 - FTC Banned Fake Reviews

12:45 - Apple Business Connect Adds Showcase Enhancements & Updates

13:01 - Conclusion

We are seeing more explosive Google search ranking volatility again and still no confirmed Google update - yet. Google is testing over 10+ shopping ads as a way to promote more discovery Google said. Google is testing showing AI Overviews in incognito mode. Google may be showing fewer top stories for political figures. FTC has banned fake reviews.

The US is considering breaking up Google as a remedy to it being a monopoly, including breaking off Android and Chrome and maybe Google Ads. Google Gemini Research may be the future of Google Search, maybe. Google Hotel listings are being hijacked with fake WhatsApp numbers and marked as permanently closed. Google Search Console only shows 35% of your data, it depends says Google.

Google had another volatile weekend with Google Search rankings bouncing all over the place. A new report shows publishers are getting less traffic from Google Search and other areas but an increase from Google Discover. Google may come out with new ways to handle URL parameters. Google Ads will not pause keywords that are in paused ad groups.

This week, we covered the big ruling that Google is officially a monopoly, a federal judge ruled. Google search ranking volatility heated up the day after that ruling. Google served ads for products from other merchants, paid for by other advertisers, which is why they pulled down reporting. Google then issued million dollar LSA credits, by accident, it was a bug also - Google fixed it all. Google Search Console has a new recommendations feature that is rolling out slowly. Bing may have had a search algorithm update on May 29th but Microsoft denied it. There is this new SEO scam going around, beware. Google doesn’t avoid crawling more expensive to crawl page. Google Search snippets labels for “you may like.” Google local knowledge panels are interactive in some cases. Google Local Service Ads now tell us they may show your photos in the ads, and the photos can impact ad rank. Google Shopping product images may show user review images. Google Business Profiles added “see also” which is not fun for many small businesses. Google Ads will transition smart campaigns to performance max campaigns. Google Ads is testing call extensions with advertisers/business name. Google Ads is testing “featured options” ad formats. Google Ads released version 17.1 of the API. Google Trends has a new trending now page. Apple maintains a search index of billions of websites. YouTube shared some YouTube SEO advice and tips That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

0:59 - Google Is A Monopoly, Federal Judge Rules (What's Next)

2:27 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Heats Up After DOJ Monopoly Ruling

3:17 - Google Served Ads For Products From Other Merchants, Google Will Issue Credits

4:40 - Google Ads Million Dollar Credits Bug For Local Service Ads

5:27 - Google Search Console Recommendations (Experimental)

6:34 - Bing Search Ranking Algorithm Update Around May 29th? Microsoft Says No.

7:18 - SEO Scam Where You Pay Google To Fix Your Search Rankings

7:48 - Google: We Don't Track How Expensive It Is To Crawl, Render, Index & Serve Pages

8:41 - Google Search Snippets You May Like Label

9:07 - Google Local Knowledge Panel Interactive Card Interface

9:29 - Google Local Service Ads To Show Photos & They Improve Ad Rank

10:04 - Google Shopping Product Images Showing User Review Images

10:25 - Google Business Profiles Listings See Also Carousel Leading To Competitors

10:52 - Google Ads To Transition Smart Campaigns To Performance Max

11:21 - Google Ads Test: Call Extensions With Advertiser Name

11:39 - Google Ads Featured Options Search Interface

11:52 - Google Ads API Version 17.1 Now Available

12:02 - Google Trends Rolls Out New Trending Now Design

12:17 - Document: Apple Maintains A Search Index Of Billions Of Websites

12:45 - Conclusion 

Google Ads issues credit notices of millions of dollars to individual advertiser by mistake, it was another bug. Google will now show your photos in your Local Service Ads, and they may help your ad rank do better. Google Ads API version 17.1 is now out. Google Search is testing snippet labels with "you may like."

Google ads is migrating smart campaigns to performance max campaigns. Google Business Profiles performance report no longer is showing the call data. Google Ads is testing an ad call extension with the business name in it. Google Ads has this new "featured options" ad treatment. And did you know Apple maintains its own search index of billions of websites?

The DOJ ruled Google is a monopoly and action will be taken to limit that. Google Search rankings are also heating up. Google Search Console has a new recommendations section. Google Business Profiles shows your competitors in the see also carousel.

Google Ads reporting issue is more than just a reporting glitch but a serving bug. Bing said they did not push an algorithm update around the end of May but some data suggests they did. Google shopping product images may use user reviews. A daily recap video summarizing a few of the top search marketing headlines covered at the Search Engine Roundtable.

This recap is called It's New - A quick, daily dose of the latest in SEO with Crystal Carter and Mordy Oberstein of Wix with Greg Finn of Cypress North (and Marketing O’Clock) and Barry Schwartz.

More specifics will be posted later at https://www.seroundtable.com/recap-08-05-2024-37843.html

This week we covered how Google said the core update isn’t extremely far away. We also reported on super intense Google Search ranking volatility change later this week and then the ongoing volatility with Google Search over the past few weeks. Google updated its algorithms to demote deepfake content. Google also improved its Autocomplete predictions in the wake of the Trump controversy. There was this excellent deep dive on how Google indexes JavaScript. Google may be showing fewer X posts in Search and is testing changing the X carousel to “latest posts from.” Google is also testing “hidden gem stores,” which is weird. Google is testing knowledge panels with videos. Google Discover is promoting AI Overviews for the Olympics. There is new data on how Google mixes ads into organic results. Google Ads launched new PMax reporting and AI tools. There was another Google Ads reporting outage yesterday. Google Merchant Center has a section for “more found by Google.” Google Ads now integrates with Merchant Center AI image tool. Google Ads click-to WhatsApp messaging seems to be rolling out. Google Ads as a new “for your consideration” ad format. Google Business Profiles now lets you take a photo of your menu. Microsoft earnings showed Bing Ads revenue up 19%. I also posted the big Google Webmaster Report for August 2024. That was the search news this week at the Search Engine Roundtable.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:05 - Google: Core Update Isn't Extremely Far Away As Publishers Grow Concerned

2:13 - Google Search Ranking Volatility Bursting At The Seams

2:42 - Ongoing Google Search Ranking Volatility For 2 Weeks

3:01 - Google Explains Search Algorithm Updates Around Deepfakes

4:47 - Google Improved Autocomplete Predictions After Trump Criticism

5:21 - Deep Dive On How Google Search Indexes JavaScript

5:42 - Google Showing X Carousel Less Often For News Topics?

6:04 - Google May Replace X (Twitter) With Latest Posts From

6:21 - Google "Hidden Gem Stores" Search Feature

6:43 - Google Knowledge Panels Tests "Videos From" Section

7:15 - Google Discover Promoting AI Overviews In Search

7:37 - Report: How Often Google Mixes Ads Into Organic Search Results

8:07 - Google Ads Launches New PMax Reporting Updates & AI Generation Tools

8:36 - Google Ads Reporting & Some Interfaces Are Down For Advertisers

9:18 - Google Merchant Center More Found By Google Product Feed Report

9:30 - New Google Ads Google Merchant Center Feed Integration In AI Image Editor

9:44 - Google Ads Click-To WhatsApp Messages

10:06 - New Google Ads Format "For Your Consideration"

10:23 - Google Local Service Ads Automated Lead Dispute System

10:42 - Google Business Profiles New Generate Menu From Photo

10:59 - Microsoft Bing Advertising Revenue Up 19% (Back To Growth?)

11:28 - August 2024 Google Webmaster Report

11:44 - Conclusion